Friday, November 4, 2016

An Interview with...Mindy Ross

Once
a week I post interviews with interesting people about their insights
on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve noticed
that every one of these individuals makes their living in a slightly
different manner bringing their own unique presence to the knitting
world.

Where do you find inspiration?I find inspiration from almost anywhere. I love shapes & colors and how they blend to form their own unique patterns, whether it's in nature or man made. I found nothing that suited my fashion sense, so decided to design 'thingies' that I'd like to wear myself. Then I discovered that others felt the same, so I took my inspirations, creating simple pieces for others to enjoy as I have.

Do you look at other designers’ work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by their designs?I enjoy seeing what others have created. I feel just as in the clothing/fashion industry, it's interesting to see what others find unique.

How do you feel about the so called controversy of “dumbing down” patterns for knitters?I didn't realize there is a controversy of 'dumbing down' patterns? I feel a pattern should be written in the simplest of terms to begin with, for anyone to understand. To me, I feel almost the opposite. If a pattern is 'too sophisticated' and written 3 levels above my understanding of terms, it is a turn off.

How many sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?I try for 2 or more test knitters after I've tried the pattern once, sometimes twice myself.

Do you use a tech editor?I do. And I cannot say "Thank You" enough to her.

How do you maintain your life/work balance?It's a fine line of personal life and knitting life. Knitting is a calming influence when 'everyday life' gets to be a bit much. I do feel however, I've got a pretty good balance on the whole picture.

How do you deal with criticism?Criticism is part of 'the deal', and many times I relish it, turning it to "constructive criticism". I try my best to answer each comment, no matter how severe. I learn from others' thoughts, whether it's a complement or a criticism.

What advice would you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?As with any artistic medium (and YES, I consider knitting an "art") there can be a lot of starving artists out there, and success stories as well. I think for any promising knitting (or other) artist, you need the passion to go along with the drive. And you need time. I truly feel it's rare to become an overnight success. Keep looking/moving forward, while maintaining what your everyday life demands. I've learned stumbling is okay; get up, shake it off and keep that momentum moving forward.

What’s next for you?I've got a little bit of a "stepping stone" in my personal life, for now. But heeding my own words, I will move forward and hope to design more 'thingies' in the future.

About Me

email contact robinknits(AT)gmail(dot)com
I've been knitting my whole life. I don't even remember learning. I started making garments for myself in my teens and then explored sewing, tailoring and millinery. I want to teach knitters about fit and flattery and turn them into fashion stars!
On my blog you will find lots of interviews with knitting industry professionals, how to tutorials and a variety of posts about what's going on in the knitting world.
I love to come out and speak at shops and guilds. Here's what the Downtown Knit collective said after one of my talks:
“Robin Hunter’s inspiring talk, “The Barbie Factor,” left everyone in a feel-good mood at the conclusion of the May meeting. Heads were nodding in agreement all around ... as she tackled a multi-faced problem faced by many knitters—why don’t we knit for ourselves? She touched on many topics including fashion, body image, media and how it all relates back to our knitting.”
You can see my patterns on http://www.patternfish.com/des/robin_hunter and you can find me on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/people/knittingrobin
My YouTube channel is here:http://www.youtube.com/user/robinknits?feature=mhee